cause of true loue being the good of another To loue one truly is to wish him all the good that may be and to loue very much is to will or to wish the same very much vnto him And because it is the Nature of the will and by consequence of loue to doe that which it willeth vnlesse it be hindered Therefore it produceth in vs not onely a desire to heare and vnderstand the good and euill of the partie beloued but moueth vs likewise by all the meanes wee can to prosecute the one and to auoyde the other For the which cause loue is said to bee more effectuall then affectuall Plus enim facit quam â—fficat and according to Saint Gregorie Probatio amonis est exhibitio operis And therefore Loue without these acts and fruits of loue is worse then the Fig-tree which our Sauiour cursed and is indeed no loue at all From whence also it followeth that albeit wee may loue those whom we know not in perticuler as belonging to such an One or as the parts of such a Communitie which is principally beloued of vs and may content our selues with that generall good which we are able to doe them yet if our loue be perfit it is impossible we should not desire to know them and to doe for them also in perticuler if we be able or if our attendance to the perticuler knowledge and seruice of them do not hinder some greater good which otherwise we might performe in generall towards them By which it is manifest that either the Saints in heauen desire to heare vs to releiue vs not onely in generall but also in perticuler when we call vpon them because the one in them can be no hinderance to the other Or else it must needs be granted that they doe not loue vs. For that without this desire it is very plaine they care not for vs. I know some Protestants do here obiect against this perticuler care the same which many Atheists haue also obiected against the prouidence of God Affirming that the Saints of heauen Caluin instit lib. 3. cap 20 per. 24 cannot giue eare to our Prayers or attend to our affaires without some trouble and impeachment to their felicitie But the Protestants granting as they doe that this is no trouble at all neither to the person of God nor to the soule of Christ nor to the Angels themselues Psal 90. 11. Dan. 10. 13. Zac. 1. 12. Math. 18. 10 Lue. 15. 10. Acts. 12. 15. Apoc. 8. 3. make this Obiection against the Saints of God with lesse reason and more malice then it was made by their Masters before them against God himselfe Secondly therfore this desire of theirs will yet better appeare by the consideration of the Nature of Charitie in perticuler For according to that which hath bene said as to loue another is to will the good and by consequence the will of another which is also the reason that a wicked man because he willeth not his owne good as he is wicked can neuer be truely beloued so to loue God is nothing else but to will the will of God and therefore in effect to desire that it may be perfitly fulfilled both in our selues in all other Creatures And because as the Apostle speaketh This is the will of God Thes 4. 3 oâ—r sanctâ—fication or which is all one the saluation of our selues and others Therefore to loue God about all thinges wherin consisteth the nature of all charitie includeth a will to attend aboue all other thinges vnto the sanctification saluation first of our selues and secondly of all our Brethren Now then to goe forward as nothing is desired but that which is good so the greater the good is if it be well knowne and considered the more it is desired And therfore as there is nothing so good as the will of God so nothing by many degrees can bee so much desired of those that truely loue God as that his will be most perfitly fulfilled in the sanctification and saluation of all men Againe as the will of God himself is the end of all things so the loue of his will and the desire of dooing thereof is the end of all other loues and all other desires And therefore as God himselfe hath ordained so it must needs bee that our loue of his will and desire to fulfill the same if our loue be right doe exceede with like proportion all other worldly loues or desires whatsoeuer Wherefore to conclude this point if true loue in the lowest degree not onely of grace but also of Nature produceth in vs a perpetuall and constant desire not onely to heare and vnderstand the good and euill of the parties beloued but also to endeauour by all good meanes and courses to releeue them how great must the floud and Torrent bee of that desire which floweth continually in the highest degree from the Fountaine and sowrse of all loue which is God himselfe into the Soules of the Saints of heauen to complie and cooperate with his eternall will by all the meanes they can in the sanctification and saluation of others And if the zeale of men on earth not onely in the time of grace but also vnder the dead letter of the Law extend it selfe with such desire not only to heare and vnderstand but also to succour and redresse by their daily prayers infinit dangers continuall labours and miseries of their brethren coÌ„passing both Sea and Land as our Sauiour saith to make one Math 23 15 Proselite or to conuert one soule vnto Christ how much more doth the inflamed charitie of the Saints in heauen transforme their soules into the like desire And admiring so much as wee doe the vehement loue of Moyses and zeale of Saint Paul while they liued amongst men to their Naturall brethren the Exod. 32 32. Iewes not refusing to bee strucken out of the Booke of life and to bee made an Athema if need Rom. 9. 3 should be for their saluation How wonderfull and vnmeasurable thinke you is the desire of the Saints of heauen to procure the saluation of their brethren here on earth and how effectuall to recommend their perticuler prayers which here euen in this world is the least and most easie office that one friend can do for an other certainly this desire in these golden vials must needs so farr exceed the former in those eartheÌ„ vessels as the easines of the one exceedeth the difficultie of the other And as their knowledge and loue of God whome now they see exceedeth the obscure knowledge which they had of him and their imperfect loue towards him when they could not beholde him Adde vnto all this that the felictie of the Saints of heauen is much increased and perfited by the saluation of their brethren on earth And therfore as much as they desire the perfectioÌ„ of their owne felicitie they can no lesse desire to receiue and to recommend our prayers vnto God
this point is euidently testified euen by Protestant Authors For Fulke a Fulk â—n his reâ—oinder to Bristow confesseth that Ambrose Augustine and Hierome held inuocation of Saints to be lawfull That b Agaiâ—st the Reâ—ish Teâ—tament Nazianzen Basill Chrisostome make mention of inuocation to Saints That Theoderet speaketh of prayers vnto Martyrs That Leo ascribeth much to the prayers of Saint Peter All 2 Pet. 1 these auncient Fathers And more in particuler That c Answer to Counteâ—feit Caâ— pag. 46 Saraâ— in defeâ— tract diuersiâ— c. paâ— 349. 346. Morâ— Apol fâ— part pâ— 227. 2 Ormâ— Pist p pag. 2 Vigillantius the heretick wrote against the inuocation of Saints him saith hee Hierome reproueth For the which likewise Sarauia a great Caluinist and Beza himself do acknowledge that Vigillantius was charged condemned by the Fathers Morton likewise acknowledgeth in expresse tearmes That all antiquitie taught the inuocation of Saints Adde vnto these Ormerod who therfore saith That the Fathers did not ponderously consider of this question And Perkins who speaking of the Primitiue Church setteth downe these wordes that follow Perkins Prob. pag. â—3 There was in the Church intercession to Saints in perticuler for men or thinges in perticuler And afterward hee presumeth to say That the auncient â—bid pag. Fathers especially after 400. yeares of Christ did sinne in the inuocation of Saints yea were guilty of sacriledge And so damneth to Hell the greatest Saints of Heauen now crowned with glory to iustifie the Dreames and fantasies of his owne deuices Now then my good friend to conclude this my first argument out of Scripture let any well minded Protestant consider whither not beleeuing these Councels Fathers but coÌ„demning them of sacriledge he doe not incurre the censure of our Sauiour that hee is no better then a Heathen for not beleeuing the Church it selfe and whither it be not only the heresie of Vigillantius reproued by St. Hâ—â—rome to disallow the inuoâ—ation of Saints but also as St. Augustine speaketh most insolent madnesse to dispute against it THE SECOND ARGVMENT Supposing the Creed of the Apostles to bee the infallible worde of GOD and if not Scripture yet certainly contained in Scripture I prooue the lawfulnesse or rather necessitie of prayer to Saints out of our Beliefe of the Communion of Saints Which doubtlesse for this cause among other reasons it hath pleased God to make an Article of our Creede to excite vs so much the more thereby to this kinde of pyous worship inuocation of them For if sinfull men on earth are truely vnderstood to bee here comprehended vnder the name of Saints much lesse may the Blessed soules of Heauen be here excluded from that tytle And who can imagine that the Soules of the iust are seperated by death from the communion of the Church wherein they liued For as Saint Augustine saith why doe they run so fast to the Sacrament of Baptisme in extreame danger of death that were neuer in the Church before Or why doe they make such hast to be reconciled therunto before they dye that are deuided from it vnlesse it be to inioy after death the communion of it Wherefore I do not see how we can beleeue that there is one Communion of the Saints in heauen and the Saints on earth according to our Creed except we beleeue a Communion or which is all one a Communication of Mutuall offices betweene them wee praying to them and they praying for vs the greater helping the lesse and the lesse in all their necessities hauing recourse vnto the greater THE THIRD ARGVMENT Is also in explication and confirmation of the former And supposing that if it be lawfull to pray the Saints of Heauen it is no lesse lawfull to pray vnto them as I haue shewed before in the third consideration It may be framed in this maÌ„ner It is lawfull to recommend our wants by way of prayer or intreatie vnto all the friends of God that are desirous to heare vs and are able to helpe vs in perticuler But such are all the Saints of Heauen Therefore it is lawfull in such manner to commend our selues and our wants vnto them The Maior is so euident euen by the light of Nature that there needeth no Scripture to confirme it For as now at this day so no doubt before the Scripture was written it was lawfull for the childe to recoÌ„mend himselfe vnto the prayers of his Father or of any other holy man because it was beleeued that such kinde of men were able and willing to helpe them by their prayers And the onely reason of any waight which the Protestants alleadge for their not praying to Saints is especially this because they thinke the Saints of heauen doe not heare them Wherefore if they heare and can and will helpe vs there is no further doubt but that wee may pray and beseech them to relieue vs. The Minor therefore that the Saints in Heauen are most desirous and likewise most able both to heare and helpe vs is prooued first a Posteriore or from the effect and secondly a Priore or from the cause a Posteriore thus They doe actually present or recoÌ„mend our prayers vnto God The foure Apoc. 5. â— Beasts and the 24. Elders hauing golden vialls full of Odours which are the Prayers of Saints Therefore they not onely know our prayers in perticuler vnlesse thou wilt imagine that they Offer them sealed vp in a Bag as ignorant of that which is contained in them but also are a meane to God for vs and helpe vs to obtaine them The same is also prooued a Priore three manner of waies And first by the perfit loue and charitie which is between the Saints in heauen and their brethren here on earth For as Saint Paul saith Charitas nunquam excidit Charitie which is the loue of God and our brethren neuer falleth away but remaineth with his Saints for euer And the reason thereof is manifest For louing God so perfitly as they doe they must needes loue all those whom they know to bee so much beloued of him as that he gaue his onely Son to redeem them This therefore being supposed out of Scripture and the Minor consisting of two parts The first that the Saints of heauen desire to heare and helpe vs And the second that they are able to doe both the one the other The first part I proue by the latter in this manner The Saints of God desire it therefore they cannot want the means to performe it That they desire it is proued first out of the Nature of all true loue in generall For the which you must vnderstand That Loue being the first act of the Will and the formall obiect of both the act and power of the will beeing that which is good to loue another is nothing else but to will him that which is good especially for this reason because it is good vnto him So that the finall and formal
it imported them to bee carefull of themselues how much more after their victorious Crownes and Tryumphs Moyses being but one obtayned pardon of God for sixe hundred thousand Armed men And shall hee bee of lesse force beeing now with Christ in Heauen Paul the Apostle saith That 270. soules in the Ship with him were giuen vnto him And after his resolution when hee began to bee with Christ must he shut vp his mouth and not be able to speake so much as one halfe worde for those who through the world haue beleeued his Gospell Shall Vigillantius this liuing Dog bee better then hee that dead Lyon For to this purpose I might wel vse the words of the Preacher If I beleeued Saint Paul to bee dead in spirit the Saints are not said to be dead but to wit according to the body sleeping or reposing Thus Saint Hierome Secondly therefore to proceed The willingnesse and abilitie of the Saints in Heauen to heare and assist vs is proued out of those Scriptures which teach vs that the Saints in heauen and the Saints on earth are all Brethren of the same family and Domesticals of God hauing all receiued the adoption Ephes 19. Gal 4 Ephe 4 Gal. 4. Heb. 1 23. of the Sonnes of God and beeing all fellow members of the same Body and Cittizens of the same Citty which is the heauenly Hierusalem our Mother the Church of the first borne including the societie of many thousand Angells Which being supposed wee may argue in this manner In euery Mysticall body or societie the principall and more perfite members haue power and abilitie more or lesse to helpe and assist the rest that are more imperfit according to their particuler necessities For this is the end of all Communitie and therefore so true that no citty or kingdome or ciuill Body can stand without it But the Saints in Heauen are the principall partes of this Mysticall body Therefore it must needes follow that they haue some kinde of meanes to heare and to helpe vs in perticuler when wee call vpon them For otherwise they could neither make one Family nor one citty nor one Body with vs which is directly against the Scriptures here before alleadged Againe in euery Societie those members that are out of daunger and in prosperitie are bound in duty to succour those that are in any great danger or necessitie especially when it greatly concerneth the good of the whole Body But such are the Saints of heauen and such is the case between vs and them especially when we finde our selues assaulted with some grieuous affliction or vehement Temptation in perticuler Therefore according to their power when such occasions happen they are bound as may be said in duty to releeue vs. Hee saith St. Iohn that shall haue the Substance of this world and shall see his Brother haue neede and shall shut his Bowels from him how doth the Charitie of God abide in him Wherefore the Saints of God hauing the substance of the other world and possessing the Treasures of all Graces wee must either fowly condemne them for want of Charity or else wee must needs graunt that they open their Bowels to releeue the necessities of their distressed brethren And truely Almightie God seeing the want of this power in his Saints to help vs if it were so as the Protestants would haue it and the Saints againe seeing our miseries or if they doe not it is because they will not how may it be thought that either God himselfe can shut the Bowels of his Charitie from them when they aske the one or they from vs when we call vpon them to be releeued in the other Wherfore to conclude this second reason for the proofe of their Power to helpe vs consider gentle Reader whether it can stand either with the vnitie of this mysticall body that the Saints in Heauen should not haue it or with their Obligation not to demaund it or with their felicitie not to inioy it or with Gods goodnesse not to graunt it Thirdly and lastly then this willingnes and power of theirs is yet further proued by their speciall Patronage and protection of vs for the one doth euidently include the other and no man can imagine how they can be truely said to guide and defend vs who like the Idols of the Gentiles are neither able to heare vs nor to helpe vs. Wherefore their Pastorall care and protection ouer vs is shewed first by reason grounded vpon Scripture and secondly by the Scripture it selfe And the first reason thereof may be framed in this manner In euery well ordered Body or Common wealth the members which are the most potent prudent and perfit are appointed to gouerne and protect the rest But the Saints of heauen make one body with vs as hath bene proued by the expresse word of God Therefore as being the most sufficient Members thereof they must be Ordained by God to gouerne and direct vs. According whereuâ—to St. Câ—prian coÌ„cludâ—â—h most excellently of the holy Innocents That being made priuie to the secrets Cyprian of God with most familiar approaches they beseech his clemencie to blesse our labours And Lib de Stella Magis Innoc c. that beeing translated from the Cradle to Heauen they are made Senatours and Iudges of the supernall Cappitoll obtaâ—ning pardon for many And although they assist Almightie God not onely in his Diuine mercyes but also in his punishments yet they serue themselues more of the mildnesse then of the furie of the Lambe whome they followe wheresoeuer hee goeth Thus St. Cyprian Whereunto may bee added another reason For hee that will contemplate a little shall easily finde that Almightie God seldome or neuer doth any thing by himselfe alone which may be brought to passe by meanes of those his Creatures that are apt to be made the instruments of his Diuine power Not that hee hath any neede of them but because it belongeth to his glory their perfection as much as may be to be serued of them Which is not onely seene in the visible preseruation of this world all thinges depending therein of more inferiour causes but also confessed in the inuisible mouers and Gouernours thereof his holy Angels Who are therefore in generall acknowledged by Saint Paul to be administring Spirits and are perticularly Heb. 2. 14 testified among other Num. 20 16. thinges to haue had the conduction of the Isralites out of Exod. 23 20. Aegypt and in the person of God to haue giuen the Law it Act. 7. 30 35. 53. selfe vnto them Wherefore the Saints of heauen being so much more fit to gouerne and protect vs then the Angels by how much they are nearer vnto vs both by Grace and Nature and through their owne experience of our fragilitie haue better learned to take compassion of our infirmitie It cannot stand with the sweetnesse of Gods prouldence to exclude them from the Patronage and protection of vs. For the which
them Out of Pride or stomacke or presumption they wil not once open their mouthes to call vpoÌ„ them but rather vtterly refuse to receiue any benefit or consolation by them THE FOVRTH ARGVMENT Is Double or two folde being framed vpon two Paralels or parities clearely drawne out of the Scripture Wherby if thou marke it well thou shalt also finde that all those obiections are plainly refuted which the Protestants are wont to make against Prayer to Saints The first Paritie It is lawfull to pray vnto Angels Therefore it cannot bee vnlawfull to pray vnto Saints because no reason can bee giuen why the one should bee more allowed then the other Inuocation of Angels is prooued expresly by the example of Iâ—cob who Blessing the Sonnes of Ioseph 〈◊〉 The Angell that Gen 48 16. delâ—uerâ—â—h mee from all euill Blesse these Children Which to be spoken to a true Angell is witnessed by Saint Bazill li◠◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chriâ—ost hom â— â—n laâ—d St. Paul Iob 5 1. Bazill and St. Chrisostome This is also confirmed by the practise of the Church in the time of Iob vnto whome one of his three friendes spake as followeth Call if there bee any that will answer thee and turne thee to some one of the Saints Where by name of Saints Saint Augustine in his Annotations vnderstandeth S. August Angels And no sufficient reason can bee giuen why Iobs friend a man of singuler wisdome should aduise him to call vpon any of the Angels if it had not beene a laudable custome in those dayes for men in miserie to doe the like And the same may well bee saide of the Iewes who not vnderstanding our Sauiour when hee hung vpon the Crosse affirmed that hee called vpon Elias which is a probable Argument that it was no strange thing amongst them at that time to call vpon Elias The second paritie It is lawfull to pray to Saints that are liuing Therefore it is lawfull to pray vnto the Saints that are departed The consequence is proued because Almightie GOD is no more dishonoured by the one then by the other our Sauiour CHRIST no more forsaken nor sacriledge any more committed in the one of these more then in the other neither can any reason bee alledged out of Scripture why it should be better to desire the prayers of men on earth who haue enough to aske for themselues then to recommend our prayers to the Saints of Heauen who beeing sâ—cure of their owne may the better bee solicitous of the saluation of others especially considering they not onely heare vs but also sit with Christ in his owne Throne to gouerne and protect vs as hath beene proued Which Argument hath the more force because wee vse and that very commendably to request the prayers of those of whome wee are most vncertaine whether they bee friends or enemies of God Almightie Whereof it followeth That albeit it were no lesse vncertaine whether the Saintes of Heauen doe heare vs or not or whether their intercession may auaile vs or not yet vnlesse wee were sure of the contrary which no Protestant can bee this last reason alone might bee sufficient to induce any reasonable man to recommend himselfe vnto their prayers And truely the Protestants inlarging their consciences so farre in this particuler as to thinke it no sâ—â—nâ— at all but rather an act of P 〈…〉 e to request the prayers not onely oâ— vâ— whome they persecute as most contrary to themselues in many essentiall pointes of Faith but also of others who shew themselues most opposite to God himselfe in their Life and conuersation Fornicators Aculterers Vsurers Blasphemers Drunkards and the like It is a wonderfull thing how contemning the Authorititie of the Primitiue Church in the first Ages after Christ â—luding an Article of their â—reece Renoâ—n 〈…〉 part of those pre 〈…〉 â—s O lours which are the prâ—â—er 〈◊〉 S 〈…〉 t s Infâ—ingâ—â—g a titles of Loâ—e and fellowship with the Saints of Heauen And b 〈…〉 kiâ—g all bonds of â—uâ—iection and Subordination vnto them so contrary to those Scriptures before alleadged they should condemne euen the holy Fathers themselues of Sacriledge and Idolatrie for crauing their intercession and thinke it as bad or little better in vs to recommend our selues vnto the prayer of any Saint in Heauen then to the helpe or protection of the Deuill in Hell But farre more wonderfull it is that the Protestants here withall especially during the first fruites of their spirit and in their very beginning whereof I thinke some of their Schollers are now ashamed did not onely abridge and spoyle the Saints of Heauen of that little honour which men on earth were able to giue them as to the friends of God but did also dishonor and abuse their holy Reliques in such foule and hatefull manner as worse could not haue bene done to the bodyes bones of Deuils incarnate And if it bee monstrous impietie in the Sonne to treade vnder feete the dead Body of his Father or to mangle or destroy it or to cast it dispitefully on the Dunghill what cryme soeuer hee had committed what Barbarous inhumanitie and Heathenish impietie which God forgiue did the Protestantes performe vpon the Sacred Bodyes of those glorious Saintes that ought to haue bene a thousand times more deare vnto them then the flesh blood of their owne Fathers certainly the doers of these thinges could not bee sent from God Almightie who vouchsafeth to honour his Saints so exceedingly as hath beene shewed but from him who by the hands of Protestants hauing furiously torne the bodyes of their Saintes out of their graues would also haue pluckt their soules out of Heauen if hee had beene able THE FIFT ARGVMENT is taken from the exceeding many Mirracles and supernaturall effectes wherewith it pleased God in all ages to make most honourable demonstration of the glory of his Saints and of their infallible power through his vertue to help all those that call vpon them For a Miracle Exod. 11 10. Deut. 4 34. Math 12 3â— Mark 16 17. Deut. 18 22. Ioh. 5 â—6 10 38. 14 12. 15. 24. may well be called a Testimony or Certificate of the truth which it confirmeth published as it were to the worlae vnder the proper hand and great broad Seale of GOD him selfe which therfore is also called a Sign And which as aboue all other proofes the Iewes were commaunded to receiue in the olde Lawe so were they cast out of Gods fauour for disobeying the same in the newe It were too long to descend to perticulers for the which I referre me with Bellarmine to the Epistle of Nilus recited in the seuenth Nilus Theodor. generall Councell to Theodoret in his Historie lib. 5. cap. 24. lib. 8. ad Graecas To Saint Ambrose serm 19 Ambrose which is of Saint Agnâ—s To S 〈…〉 Augustine lib. 22 Augustin de Câ—â—tate Dei cap 8. Io. Gregoriâ— the great Lib. 3. Gregorie Dâ—al Cap. 22. 24. 25.
37. T 〈…〉 Bonâ—uenture in the BonaueÌ„t life of Saint Francis And finally to the life of Saint Barnarâ— Life of S. Bernard wherein there is receiued a most wonderfull Miracle wrought by Saint Barnard him selfe who in confirmacion of this verie point of prayer to Saints which he preached against the heretickes of his time that spake against it Blessed certaine bread which the people offred with the Signe of the Crosse and said In this you shall knowe that those thinges are true which we haue Preached If all your sicke hauing tasted of this Bread shall be restored to their former health And when the Bishop there had said If they reâ—â—iue it with a good faith they shal be healed Saint Barnard added I doe not say so but assuredly whosoeuer they be thaâ— taste it shall be healed to the end they may knowe that we are true Messengers sent from God Whervpon a huge multitude of sicke folkes hauing tasted that Bread recouered that this worde was diuulged ouer all the Prouince To conclude in all the places likewise before alleaged those venerable and renowned Authors haue related so many Miracles in this poynt of prayers to Saintes as if any Protestant would take the paines either to read them or to heare them recited they would be more then sufficient to conuince him For he that should deride or contemne the iudgements of those famous Saints were verye prophane And how can he think himselfe a good Christian that will giue no credit or beliefe to the chiefe Pastors and Doctors of the Church of Christ whome shall we belieue if we belieue not them Were not this to take away all faith and together therewith all Morall beliefe out of the worde And this shall suffice me Curteous Reader to haue collected for the most part out of other Catholicke Authors for thy satisfaction in this point of praier to Saints drawne by good consequence out of the Text it selfe of holy scripture which the Protestants on the other side haue neither heretofore nor euer will be able to aunswer hereafter and much lesse to produce any solide Argument out of Scripture for the proofe of the contrarie without the which notwithstanding though we alleaged no proofe at all it were more then absurde to condemne any generall custome or practise of Church or Common wealth as hath bene noted in the beginning Wherefore gentle freind now at the length to conclude this whole discourse if thou rest satisfied therwith I shall think my labour well bestowed but neither will I think it lost if I may gaine so much of thee as not fearing to venture thy Soule with the auncient Fathers vppon a truth so testified not onely by the worde of God in Scripture but also with the very hand of God in Signes and Miracles aswell at this present time as in all former ages thou wilt bee content to make some tryall of the power abilitie of the Saints to help thee by recommending thy selfe seriously to their intercession for thee desiring them to beseech Almightie God that thou maist obtaine sufficient light to discerne his euery sauing truth and effectuall grace to imbrace it And in perticuler to recommend thy poore Soule to the prayers of the Mother of God our Blessed Ladye who as Saint Barnard saith is the neck vnder Christ our head whereby all Grace descendeth vnto euery member of his mystcall Bodie For I doubt not thou shalt finde that true comfort and Reall satisfaction in the excercises thereof with such a touch of Gods finger as well better perswade thy hart then any other Pen can maister thy vnderstanding vntill it please his diuine Maiestie to subiect it fully to the rule of faith and to place it firmly on the Rocke which is the piller and foundation of truth And so remitting thee to the Prayers them selues of this Booke I desire to be pertaker of their good effects c. rest Thine in Iesus Christ C. A. THE Interiour occupation of the SOVLE Treating of the important businesse of our saluation with God his saints by way of Prayer Title 1. Adoration 1. I Adore thee O great GOD with all the creatures which are in Heauen and on earth prostrated cast downe euen to the center of my nothing before the Tâ—rone of thy soueraigne Maiestie 2. My affection is farre too litle to acknowledge thy high Deitie and therefore I present vnto thee the hearts of Angels and men the naturall property of the elements the growth of plants the sense of beasts the motion of whatsoeuer is in nature and the very being of all thinges Adoring with the dependance which they haue of thy diuinitie that which thou art in them and honouring that which they are in thee 3. If I had the affection of all those men women which haue presented vnto thee sacrifices of diuine worship and soueraigne adoration as well in the law of nature as in the written Euangelicall law I should melt in thy presence but seing that all things subsist before thee I beseech thee that thou wilt accept my most humble and profound adoration as comprising them all and being comprised in them 4. Aboue all I offer present the interiour actions of the humanitie of Iesus Christ thy sonne euen from the first instant of the creation thereof to the very last period of his life and those also which he continually exerciseth in heauen 5. I present also vnto thee the internall acts of that most happie Virgin his mother of the Cherubins Seraphins and of all those holy spirits which opposed themselues against the reuolt of the Apostate Angels and whatsoeuer else hath proceeded at any time from those soules which haue bene most pleasing vnto thee froÌ„ the beginning of the world Beseeching thee to number me amongst them to ioyne my holocaust with theirs and to receiue it as a sweet smelling sacrifice 6. The most part of corporall creatures doe not acknowledge the being they haue receiued from thee nor the Obligation which they haue to thee for the same many abuse that being which thou hast bestowed vpon them as Infidels heretiques reprobates and all the accursed diuels I offer thee them O my God and prostrate them as much as is in my power at the feete of thy Maiestie adoring thee as often as they offend and blaspheme thee and I doe homage vnto thee with the actions and the very naturall being with the which they sinne and which they abuse 7. Great is the honour that hitherto hath beene â—oone to the great personages of the earth and is still continued euery day Incense hath bin offred vp to Idols Idolatrie is coÌ„mitted to corporall beautie O the God of my soule I lay holde of all those thoughts wordes prophane actions passions and as farre as my minde can stretch I seperate from them all deformitie to make a present and sacrifice of that being they haue of which thou art the Author 8. I aske thee also
MOst happy Spirits which incessantly stand before the Throne of God and who as the elder brethren of his house haue care of his inheritance looke downe vpon vs with a mercifull eye vpon vs I say who are your younger brethren out of the respect and regard you bâ—â—re to him who is the head both of th' one and th' other nature that is both of Angels and men And whom you serue in helping vs and please in assisting vs. 2. You purchased your blessednesse good cheape with one onely act of your will and consent you were confirmed in grace and receiued that glory which you shall for euer enioy without all feare to loose it But we contrariwise after many good deedes and many torments suffered and endured are alwayes exposed to danger of shipwracke which many like to vs haue made neare to the hauen After many battailes wee are still in danger to bee ouercome but you after one victorie tryumph assuredly Many dayes passe before wee can ariue there whether you are come in an instant Haue then compassion vpon the imperfection of our beeing yee whose beeing is so perfect pitty our feeblenesse and weaknesse yee that are strong our ignorance yee that are so wise our malice yee to whome goodnesse and Charitie is continuall in the highest degree 3. You take and borrow nothing from naturall abiects as helpes to comprehend created verities For from the first instant of your creation you haue euer had imprinted in your vnderstanding the expresse image of euery naturall thing and beholding your selues you come to know all thinges that are without you And that by an action of simple intelligence running as it were without the helpe of any discourse from the principles to the conclusions and from the Antecedents to the consequents 4. Wee contrariwise can conceiue nothing with our vnderstandings which hath not first passed through the siffe of our sences And our sences depend of the obiects which oft deceiue them and make our iudgements erronious if they be not corrected in their deceitfull operations by reason and grace 5. Moreouer our discourses depend of our propositions and they of the termes of simple apprehension And the apprehension is made out of the imagination and sensitiue faculties And in all this Flux and reflux of thoughtes and Ideas O yee thrice and foure times happy intelligences who is able to expresse how many times we perticipate our selues into errour Taking then notice of the great aduantage you haue ouer vs and not only you but the wicked Deuils who haue lost nothing else but their grace and glory retaining still their nature in which they are equall to you fortifie and strengthen vs against the gyants of which the Scripture maketh mention Leuiathan Belzebub Baalmorith Asmode Astaroth and other princes of that armie of darknesse 6. We craue but the crums that fall from your table and the poore scrappes and remainders of your banquet Our petition to you is very reasonable which is no more then that yee the good Angels bee pleased to doe so much for our saluation as the wicked Deuils doe for our ruine and destruction That yee be as ready to succour vs as they are to annoy vs to heale and preserue vs as they are to hurt vs as diligent in conducting vs to God as they are in withdrawing vs from him and to doe vs all the mischiefe to which their knowledge and power can extend Title 11. To the holy Patriarckes 1. HOly soules who during your abode heere in this vale of teares were the salt of the earth light of the world how great haue your vertues beene how great your perfection had you liued vnder the Gospell as you liued vnder the Law of nature and Moses we are in the fulnesse of time to which you so much aspired and for which you so often suspired obtaine for vs the grace to acknowledge correspond to so great a benefit and that wee may liue as holily after the incarnation of the Son of God as you did before his comming and that wee may now doe as much for his glory as you would haue done if yee had liued in this happy time 2. By that ioy not to be vttered by any tongue wherewith you were then replenished when the most holy soule of our and your Redeemer descended to those places vnder earth in which you were detained expecting the Ladder of Iacob and the Key of Dauid to come forth I beseech you to obtaine of your deliuerer for all poore sinners such as I am that wee may get out of the darke dungeon of ignorance and the filthie quagmire of our bad and lewd customes And that as the gates of Hell could not preuaile against the King of glory so sinne may froÌ„ henceforth no more preuaile against such as beleeue in him in whome you placed your hope and with whom vpon the day of his tryumphant Ascention you ascended to glory crowned with immortall Lawrels carrying in your handes and sweetly tasting the fruites of your liuely Faith longanimity hope and inflamed Charitie 3. Yee hold the ranke of Patriarckes amongst those which beleeue in the name of the Son of God bee yee then vnto vs good Fathers for the loue of him vpon whom dependeth all Father-hood both in Heauen and Earth and obtaine for vs the spirit of the children of God a contrary spirit to that of mercinarie feare to the end that wee may one day come to be partakers of that inheritance of which ye now are peaceable possessors Title 12. To the holy Prophets 1. PRotonotaries of Heauen Registers of truth and mirrours of the Diuinitie your holy soules haue bene the organs and your mouthes the harmonious instruments of him who is the fountaine of wisdome oracle of all truth Obtaine for vs that we may see by Faith what you did fore-see by the spirit of Prophecie and possesse that by charitie which you hoped for 2. The light of Prophesie is a personall and free guift bestowed vpon you for the instruction of Israell and consolation of Christians Herein we content our selues onely to admire you but in another thing we desire to imitate you And that is in that interiour Attention you had to the presence of God the better to vnderstand his voyce and hauing vnderstood it to follow and put in execution his inspirations O when shall I see that desired houre in which I may say with one of you I will heare what our Lord saith in mee 3. His wordes are words of peace his voyce a voyce of benediction Why then O you holy censurers of our manners doe I so often lend him a deafe eare Awake by your prayers my spirit pacifie my affections illuminate my darknesse addresse mine intentions to the center of euery iust desire which is the accomplishment of his diuine Will onely to bee loued and desired Title 13. To Saint Iohn Baptist 1. PRaecursor of the Sonne of God voyce of the word and paranymph of the heauenly
Spouse by that wonderfull similitude of thy conception natiuitie life and death to that of him whose baptist thou wert by the graces priuiledges and prerogatiues extraordinarily bestowed vpon thee loose my tongue that I may praise God as thou didst loose the tongue of thy Father Zacharie Obtaine for me that I may flie the occasion of sinne according to that example thou hast left me who from thy tender yeares diddest retire thy selfe into the desert Obtaine I say that the dew of thy grace may fall aboundantly vpon me that I may be washed and clensed in the floud of pennance by the merites of that precious bloud the sacred vessels whereof were washed by thee in the floud of Iordan 2. And if I must be great let my ambition bee to aspire to that greatnesse which was in thee that is to bee great before God If I must be couetous that it may be after the imitation of thee a couetousnesse of the riches which are Eternall If voluptuous let it be of these pleasures which thou diddest seeke with thy haire and sackcloath 3. I haue I confesse a â—ee very contrary to that vertue wherewith thou wert indued and this vice is the too great loue and care of this body which is nothing else but a sacke of wormes a dunghill of corruption and sincke of miseries Obtaine for me O great Anchorite great Prophet and great Martyr that I may from henceforth become an enemy to the sensuall and brutish part of my soule and aduersary to this stinking dunghill and a rigorous iusticer towards this liuing carkasse It being a thing most certaine that no man can hurt him who hurteth not himselfe 4. Thou hast maintained truth and iustice with danger yea with losse of thy owne life procure for mee that the one may be immouably seated in my heart and the other inuariably placed in my mouth 5. Inconstancie mother of perfidiousnesse accompanieth me and I am the reede continually exposed to the windes from which thou wast shadowed Obtaine for me by the merites of this thy vertue and by the abundant heauenly succour which thou neuer wantedst that from henceforth I may be more firme constant in such resolutions as proceede from the holy Ghost I aske this of thee O Champion of the liuing God and vnconquerable Soldiour by all the victories which thou hast gotten to the honour of him who by a speciall grace did with his owne mouth canonize thee 6. Heauen hath powred vpon thee so many benedictions that thou hast beene a wonder of the world and an astonishment of all ages by these graces I aske of thee as of the Angell of great Councell wisdome as of a Patriarcke saith as of a Prophet hope as of an Apostle of God the Father charitie as of a Martyr constancie as of a Doctor vnderstanding as of a Confessor deuotion as of an Anchorite vâ—ion with God and the guift â—f teares as of a Virgin puriâ—ie as of one who was kinne to â—esus Christ and his holy Mother that holinesse and alliance which the Sonne of God hath promised to contract with them who shall doe his holy will To whome hee hath promised that he will take them and treat them as his brethren Mother and sister O inestimable honour Title 14. To Saint Ioseph 1. TReasure-house of the incomparable treasures of Heauen earth Foster-father of him who nourisheth all creatures true and faithfull spouse of the Mother of God what comparison betweene the commaund giuen by Pharaoh â—o Ioseph the Patriarch ouer all Aegipt and this commaund giuen by God to thee Moyses conducted the people of God thou hadst the conduction of God him selfe AbrahaÌ„ was Father to the children of adoption but the true Son of God called thee Father Dauid gouerned the people of Israel according to Gods harts desireâ— but thou wert the gouernour and as it were the maister of God him selfe The Queene of Saba iudged the seruants of Salomon happy because they were eye witnesses of his maiesticall cariage and great wisdome but thou hast bene an eye witnesse of him in whome are all the treasures of knowledge wisdome of the father and who was the very originall source or spring from which Salomon did draw the wisdome that was in him Many Kings and Prophetes desired to see but one of the dayes of him whome thou didst bring vp and nourish both in his childhood in his youth Simeon thought himselfe happy to haue receued him but once into his armes thou hast an hundred and an hundred times had him in thine and placed him in the armes of his Mother sweetly kissing his feete as the feete of thy God his hands as the hands of thy Lord his cheeke as the cheeke of the Infant of thy Spouse God conducted his people going out of Egypt thou conducted'st God going into Egypt Hee by Iosua brought them into the Land of promise and thou broughtest backe Iesus into Palestine and broughtest him into Nazareth God was in the middest of his people by the mediation of Angels by day in the forme of a cloud and by night in the figure of a pillar of fire God himselfe in person hath been dayes nights weeks monthes and yeares one of thy familie thy foster childe The Arke of God gaue victorie in time of warre and plentifull benediction to Obedience in time of peace the humanitie of the Sonne of God which he tooke of thy holy Spouse was the true Arke of God in which was kept the Manna of diuinitie the Rodde of discipline the Tables of exacte obedience to the lawe of his Father 2. What graces what vertues what blessings did the Father then power vpon thee by the merittes of his Sonne the Sonne by the prayers of his Mother O thrice and foure times happy Patriarch by these so great priuiledges obtaine I beseech thee for me this grace that I neuer abuse the graces of my God And seeing that in the heauenly Sacrament of the Eucharist wee haue the same Child Lord and God of which thy Spouse was deliuered at Bethelem in Iuda and which was carryed by thee into Egypt and Nazareth and there nourished by thee and called there thy Sonne by the credit thou hast with him and by thy instant prayer bring to passe that I may be most deuout to this holy Sacrament and that my soule may melt in the presence thereof and that I may liue as it is fit hee liue who so often partaketh of that ineffable mysterie 3. By that extaticall affection which thou feltst towards the Sonne of God when hee called thee Father and towards his holy Mother of whome thou wert the Spouse beg of God by thy intercession for me the guift of an intrinsceall vnion and familiaritie with God accompanied with three qualities which were very eminent in thee Tender loue Humble reuerence Loyall fidelitie Title 15. To Saint Peter 1. LOuing Apostle Porter of Paradice and supreame Leiftenant of the crowne of Heauen by the
Deliuer mee then out of the prison of sinne breake in peeces the chaynes of my bad customes that they may fall from mee before the face of my God Title 16. To Saint Paul 1. VEssell of Election Apostle of the holy Ghost Interpretor of the Diuinitie Doctor of the Gentiles it is to thee that I haue my recourse and in whom I haue particuler confidence Considering the Charitie that made thee desire to be an Anathema for thy bretheren thy Humilitie which made thee name thy selfe a Childe vntimely borne acknowledging that thou haddest persecuted the Church thy inflamed Loue towards Iesus Christ which made thee liue more in him then in thy selfe 2. Thou calledst them thrice yea foure times accursed which loue not our Lord Iesus Christ deliuer vs then from this malediction and make vs such by thy prayers as in thy writings thou desirest we should be 3. Thou wouldst whilst thou wast heere vpon earth if it had beene in thy power haue set the whole world on fire in the loue of God 4. Thou now art able to doe what thou wilt enflame then my heart with the fire of Charitie so as I may truely say with thee I liue but I liue not in my selfe for Iesus Christ is my life 5. O when will the time come that my life may be hidden with God in Iesus Christ when will the hower come that I shall liue to him who dyed for me 6. When shall I put off the olde Adaem to put on the new formed and reformed according to God 7. When is it that thy iudgement shall make little or no estimation of the world when shall I neglect the figure of this world which passeth 8. When shall I aspire to that permanent Cittie to the free Ierusalem to the habitation of the Saints 9. Thou great Maister and Chatechist of our soules didst make so little reckoning of Faith if it were not accompanied with Charitie that albeit by it thou haddest transported mountaines distributed all thy goods to the poore spake with the tongues of Angels and of all Nations hadst had perfect intelligence of all the wonders of nature and of all the mysteries of Faith yea though thou haddest exposed thy body to flames all this had serued to no purpose but to make as it were a sound and noyse in the world but before God had beene thou saidst of no valew at all Obtaine then for me this faith quickened by Charitie frō which the iust draw the spring of life and by which as Saint Iames saith Abraham and all the Saints were iustified 10. Thou wilt that wee owe nothing to each other but mutuall loue assuring vs that Charitie is the bond of perfection loue vs then and in louing vs procure that we may loue each other 11. Thou didst carry incessantly the mortification of Iesus Christ in thy body procure that I may haue an internall sense feeling of his wounds that I may willingly be nayled with him to the Crosse 12. Thou prayedst thrice to be deliured from a troublesome tentation and it was answered vnto thee that the grace of God should suffice thee for that vertue is perfected in infirmitie Thrice yea foure times I make supplication to thee not to be deliuered from my temptations but that thou wilt obtaine for me grace and force to ouercome them to the glory of him who hath placed vs here in this world as in a field of warre in the sight of Angels and men to crowne such as shall fight valiantly Thou art hee who didst sight a good combat runne a good race happily end thy course kept thy faith and promise made and for whome the crowne was reserued in the handes of the iust Iudge obtaine for vs this great grace and these tryumphant Lawrels which shall neuer wither 13. More then two hundred soules by thy intercession were not drowned in shipwracke neere to the I le of Malta obtaine by thy prayers that wee may escape the shipwracke of sinne and safely ariue at the happy port of blessednesse 14. Thou desiredst with an inflamed desire to be deliuered from thy mortall body to bee the more neerly vnited to Iesus Christ assist mee that my desire bee alwayes transported to thinges Coelestiall and Eternall 15. Thou diddest afflict and tame thy body and not withstanding thou hadst no reprehension of conscience yet didst not thinke thy selfe in assurance Keepe me from vaine presumption and obtaine for me a filiall feare 16. We thinke our selues often to haue charitie toward God and towards our neighbour when we haue it not if we had the former who could seperate vs from the fidelitie we haue sworne to him could tribulation affliction hunger nakednesse danger persecution the sword No no wee should be assured that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor any creature should be able to seperate vs from the charitie founded in Iesus Christ 17. And if we had the latter our charitie would be sweete being without emulation without ambition without precipitation It would not be puffed vp by pride it would not bee stirred by choller it would neuer reioyce in anothers infirmitie but contrariwise reioyce in his perfections thinke well of him endure with patience what hee should doe vnto vs conceiue good hope of him Charitie neuer faileth shee is euer like to her selfe as well whether it be towards the learned or the ignorant towards the poore or the rich towards friend or foe towards him that is of a different humour from ours and him who is conformable to vs in our humours 18. When shall it be O great Champion of God Pillar of the Church wonder of the world that I shall haue these qualities Till then I will not cease to knocke at thy gates and I will not giue truce to my lippes or repose to my heart vntill I be heard in this suite Graunt it then grant it O holy Apostle amiable in Heauen imitable vpon earth redoubtable to the Spirits of Hell 19. By all the ropes with which thou wast tyed by all the prisons which thou sanctifiedst by the shipwrackes stonings whippings false accusations treasons and persecutions in which and by which thou didst honour the Sonne of God I beseech thee that my life may be to him a sacrifice and my death an holocaust Title 17. To St. Iohn the Euangelist 1. AS St. Peter was the most louing Apostle so thou wast the most beloued a quality which is singuler for which thou wert to be enuied with an holy aemulation and for the attaining whereunto three remarkable vertues should be necessary which all three shined admirable in thee Charitie Humilitie Puritie what will it cost the◠to obtain them for me 2. One neuer loueth God truly but he is beloued of him and one is not beloued of God but forthwith hee loueth God obtaine then for me O Secretarie of God that I may loue if not so much as I ought yet so much as
holocausts of heauen pacifiing hosts of the Church triumphant Hecatombs of the Church militant you are the Lambes sacrificed without number in the Temple of Salomon whose death hath bene an odour of sweetnesse most precious before God You are the troupes of the spouse and the shorne sheep which assend going out of the Lauar and there is not one barraine amongst you You are the Birds which the good Noe second spring of humaine nature presented to God his father after the deluge of his passion and the inundation of your paines You make that goodly armie of witnesses clothed in garments as white as snowe for the puritie and holinesse of your life carying vpon your heades Crownes of pure golde that is to say of perfect charitie beset with Pearles and precious Stones apparelled with a garment of the same richly embroadered and beset all ouer with Pearles of great price The Diamonds are the inuincible force with which you ouercome the tyrants The Pearles the sweate of your browes and the teares which sell from your eyes in great aboundance The Carbuncles represent the woundes which you receaued and the bloud running from your veynes shed for his loue who is the true king of Martyrs The daughter of Sion the blessed Cittizens of Hierusalem come forth to meete you partly to honour you as the most substantiall partes of their bodie and partly to admire the rich ornaments with which you were adorned by the King of glory vpon the most happy day of your second natiuitie 2. Inuincible Champions most renowned for your Tryumphes who haue had the honour to drink of the Cup of the sonne of God and to strengthen with your bloud the foundations of his Church who as the Scripture saith are come from great tribulation haue washed and made white your garmentes in the bloud of the Lambe which assist before his Throne to doe him seruice day and night He possesseth you as his temples and dwelleth in you continually leading you to the fountaine of life wyping away the teares from your eyes and freeing you from all the lawes of mortalitie Wee haue our recourse to you as soldiers to their Captaines that we may receaue by your mediation force and courage without which we are not able to resist the assaults with which we are set vpon by enemies which are within vs round about vs and aboue vs. The flesh the world and the diuell These are the Tyrantes with whome we are now to encounter the swords the prisons y◠flames the scourges the racke◠the fier plats the brazen buls the gridyrons which we are to ouercome and that not once only but many times not one day onely but many dayes during our lamentable abode in this mortall life 3. You proposed before your eyes your Captaine and Genetall Iesus Christ hauing a more tender feeling of his paines then of what your selues suffered and endured for his loue O most happy soules seeing that neither tribulations nor anguishes nor stripes nor trauailes nor any thing else whether it were sweete or bitter vnto you were sufficient to seperate you from the charitie of Iesus Christ Aske for me this grace that liuing in body here in this world in heart soule and spirit I may be crucified with Iesus Christ 4. Foure remarkable vertues shine in your passions Faith Charitie Wisdome and Humilitie For which as an aeternall reward you haue the fruition of God in your will the possession of him in your vnderstanding the glory in your bodyes after the resurrection and certaine particuler speciall garlands ouer you correspondent to your torments and the particuler manner of your sufferings Wee may partake with you herein after seauen māners First when we dye for the Faith as the most part of you O victorious soules haue done Secondly when wee are killed for IESVS as it happened for you O you blessed Innocents first fruites of the Christian Church Thirdly when wee expose our liues for the good and saluation of our neighbours as did the Sonne of God your Lord and ours Fourthly when wee chuse rather to dye then to transgresse the Law of God as did the holy Machabees Fiftly when wee expose our bloud for the maintaining of the immunities and liberties of the Church as diddest thou O holy martyr St. Thomas Bishop of Canterbury Sixtly when as Abell wee are persecuted for Iustice out of the enuie of the wicked And lastly when wee loose our life for defence of the truth zeale of the honour of God saluation of our neighbour as thou didst O most holy precursor of our Lord our redeemer vnder Herod and thou Euangelicall Prophet vnder Manasses and you Ieremie and Zhacharie persecuted by popular furie Obtaine for vs O you witnesses of the liuing God the grace that wee may testifie the fidelitie which wee owe to our Redeemer after some one of these manners and that at least we may honour him when we dye whome wee honour so little whilest we liue Title 21. To the holy Doctors 1. THe high Priest in the law of Moyses during the time of his charge did weare by Gods ordinance and appoyntment a garment of colour like Hyacinth which was fringed bordered about belowe with Pomgranets mingled with belles of pure golde Ye are O masters of our soules the little belles which ring to make vs know the approching of the high Priest and the comming of the holy Ghost then when bowing downe the heauens of his greatnesse hee is pleased to drawe neere vnto vs in the Sacrifice of the alter Yee are the salt of the earth the light of the world the Citty builded vpon a mountaine the Candlesticke with seuen lamps the seauen Candlestickes in the midst of which not without great mysterie appeared the Sonne of Man Yee are the Startes of Daniell which shine aeternally I beseech you then O inflamed soules Cherubins for your wisdome and Seraphins for your charity that yee obtaine for vs but specially for the Pastors Preachers and Doctors of the Church the guift of knowledge wisdome and vnderstanding together with a sound foundation of the building of the soule which is a liuely and true Faith This I. aske by him who hath made your breasts the store-house of armour offensiue and defensiue against his enemies and ours your memorie a Iewell-house of vnderstanding your vnderstanding an Academie of knowledge wisdome your wills a fornace of Charitie your Pennes the instruments of his holy will and your tongues Organs to sound forth his Glorie Title 22. To the holy Confessors 1. CEdars of Libanus who with your sweet Odoriferous smell embalm the whole world Palmes of the terrestriall Paradice of the Church very high and eminent in highnesse Pomegranets sowed amidst the Bels and sky-coloured fringes of the garment of the high Priest which ioyne Charitie with Humilitie and good example Scarres called Hyades whose benigne influence cause the rayne of repentance and the dew of deuotion which neuer appeare but when the dayes of mercy
most humble pardon for all the honour which since I came first to the vse of reason I haue giuen to creaturs without referring it actually or habitually to thee who art the fountaine of all greatnesse and excellencie it selfe of which excellencie honour is but a testimonie and marke 9. To conclude I acknowledge and adore thee O soueraigne Deitie Father Sonne holy Ghost as often as I breath or as there are minutes in an houre starres in the Skye leaues vpon the trees sands in the sea thoughts in the hearts of men and Angels 10. Dispose of the world as it shall please thee doe with me and with all creatures as seemes best to thy Maiestie raise vp plucke downe chastice cherish be thou such to Angels men in Heauen in earth in time and in aeternitie as stands best with thy liking In all and by all and alwaies I will adore thy prouidence I will conforme my selfe to thy will as the onely paradice of my soule And I will make good to all against all this most certaine truth that thou canst not do but that which I will for I will whatsoeuer thou dost Title 2. Thankesgiuing 1. I Thanke thee O my GOD that thou art as thou art the greatest good that can befall mee 2. I thanke thee O mightie Father that knowing thy selfe thou ingendrest a word which is thy Sonne and another thy selfe 3. I present most humbly thanksgiuing O incomparable Father that thou louest thy Sonne and thy Sonne loueth thee with such a loue and so admirably perfect that it carryeth with it the common essence nature and substance of you both 4. I thanke thee O my God for the extraordinary graces which thou hast bestowed vpoÌ„ the soule of our Sauiour Iesus Christ thy Son and I thanke thee my sweete Iesus for those which thou hast imparted to thy worthy Mother and I thanke thee O mercifull holy Ghost for those which the Angels the Patriarches the Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors Virgins and all the Court of Heauen haue receiued from thee not onely during their abode heere in earth but also since their happie abode in Heauen 5. And in particuler I giue thee thankes for the grace and glory thou hast bestowed vpon mine Angell guardian and vpon the Saint my patron of whom by thy especiall prouidence I haue my name 6. What thanksgiuing shall I render vnto thee for the goods of my soule and body which I haue receiued from thee I doe giue thee thankes for them in him for whome and by whom thou hast bestowed them vpon me who is Iesus Christ thy Sonne And I giue thee thanks that in his name and by his merites I haue receiued them not willing to haue any thing but by him and for him I present vnto thee the same thanksgiuing which the soule of my Lord thy Sonne did offer vnto thee at that instant when it knew it selfe created of nothing and personally vnited to the word 7. I giue thee thankes for thy guifts not because they are mine but because they are thine not because they are agreeable to my will but because they are conformable to thine being most ready and willing to be depriued of them when it shall please thee to take them to thee againe beseeching thee that thou wilt so doe when thou shalt iudge it more for thy glory 8. Thou hast bestowed graces vpon mee which through thy grace I know and acknowledge and thou hast bestowed vpon me others of which through mine owne blindnesse I am ignorant Thou hast bestowed and wouldst yet bestow more if it were not long of my selfe Thou wilt bestow also others which I shall not acknowledge and which through my frailtie and accustomed ingratitude I shall abuse For all which my God God of infinite goodnesse mercy I giue thee thanks with all the force that it hath pleased thee to bestow vpon mee not knowing nor being able to doe it as I should I doe it in Iesus Christ thy Sonne with the same affection acknowledgement and thanksgiuing which his holy humanitie hath giuen and doth giue incessantly to thy Diuinitie for whatsoeuer fauours or graces it receiued of thee 9. I am also to giue thee thankes for those graces and fauours which I neuer receiued and which out of thy infinite goodnesse and prouidence thou hast forborne to bestow vpon me as knowing that I would haue abused them and thereby haue become more accomptable to thy most exact and most perfect iustice 10. Ouer and aboue all this as I stand greatly oblieged vnto thee for thy fauours and graces themselues So it is true that I am much more obliged for that loue charitie out of which thou hast bestowed them vpon me For the which because it is infinite I giue thee infinite thankes in him who is the efficient instrumental meretorious and finall cause of all thankefulnesse Iesus Christ thy Sonne for whom and by whom thou hast done all praise loue and glory bee vnto thee in him and by him world without end Amen Title 3. Petition 1 IF I were mine owne O my God I would demaund many thinges according to my owne sence and will but seeing it hath pleased thy merciful Charitie that I should not be mine owne but thine what can I desire for my selfe which is not for thee and according to thee Doe thâ—â— for me as for thy selfe and dispose of me as of a thing that is thine 2. O Lord I am thine by creation by conseruation by redemption and by especiall vocation by condition of nature and election of my owne will why then dost thou permit that a stronger take from thee thine inheritance that I or any other should enter into possession of that of which the peaceable proprietie appertaines to thee why dost thou endure that any other will then thine should be accomplished in me of whome thou art onely and wholy possest 3. Hee that doth that which is more doth easily that which is lesse thou giuest thy selfe to me take me then vnto thee To create me it cost thee only thy word but to regenerate me it cost thee thy life To forme me an act only of thy will was sufficient but to reforme me th' effusion of thy bloud was iudged necessary Both the one and the other being effected by thee nothing remaineth but that thou doe and say what thou wilt so as thou dispose of mee according as thou hast deserued 4. So often as I aske of thee any thing doe the contrary if the contrary shall bee more agreable to thy will and to thy greater glory For such is the intention of my Petition 5. My wils are no wills my petition refusals my desires so many detestations when thou wilt otherwise then I desire 6. If I knew in euery thing what is thy will O God the center of my soule I would make knowne both in Heauen and earth that I haue no other intention then to accomplish thy holy will 7. Can one
But seeing O soueraigne truth thou canst not iudge of thinges or take them otherwise then they are and that if I doe seeke my selfe thou canst not but know that I doe so I am content if it be so But with this condition O my God and not otherwise that thou looke vpon me from henceforth as a thing yâ— is thine and that thou impute the loue of my sâ—lfâ— as an affection bestowed vpon a thing that is wholly thine As the sonne whatsoeuer he gets hee gets to the bâ—nefit of his father so long as hee is vnder the power of his father and as a bond slaue whatsoeuer he gets is to his maisters profit 12. From henceforth all the solicitude I shall haue either for apparell or meate or drinke or any such like thinges all my affections reflections goings forth returnings backe that I shall haue either in my selfe of my selfe or about my selfe all my ioy all my feare all my sorrowes all my pleasures all whatsoeuer appertaining to my vanitie past and the inordinate care yâ— I haue had of my selfe all this my God shall from henceforth be wholly addicted to thy seruice vnto the preseruation of a thing which is thine neither more nor lesse then if all this were done by me to any poore creature in an Hospitall or any other towards whome all this exercise of diligence and charity should be pleasing to thee Allow this O my God receiue this O my Father accept of this O my gracious Lord by the merits of him whose workes wordes and thoughts neuer strayed from thy will He hath liued for me he dyed for me euen so I will dye to my selfe and liue to him and so my life shall be hidden in his and shall appeare before thee as if it were his and all the care I shall haue shall not bee of a thing that is mine but it shal be O the onely beloued of my soule as of a thing that is thine And what other meanes O God of my soule can be found tâ— cut off the heade and kill this most horrible Hydra of selfe-loue considering the great malice thereof Title 5. To the soule of our Sauiour Iesus Christ 1. MOst holy and most happy soule Empresse of Heauen and earth I beseech thee by thy incomparable grace which thou receiuedst wheÌ„ at the instant of thy creation thou wa 〈…〉 â—ited to thy diuinitie and supported by the person of the word that thou wilt be pleased to obtaine for mee those vertues of which thou hast left vs both a Commandement and an example aboue all others Chartitie humilitie and puritie 2. By the blessednesse thou didst enioy euen then beholding the Essence of the Sonne of God to whome thou are personally vnited deliuer mee from the loue of my selfe and the great miserie of my imperfections 3. Thy holy Mother was impeccable by grace thou wast so by nature as well for that thy diuine Will did gouerne thy humane as also because by thy vnderstanding thou didst possesse and by thy will created thou hadst fruition of the Diuine essence I dare not aske impeccabilitie but onely the grace neuer to sinne and if the power to sinne be left me yet that the effect of that power be taken from me 4. Soule seate of wisdome which containest in thee the treasures of thy Fathers science thou hast been indued with knowledge diuine blessed and insused ouer and aboue the knowledge experimentall and acquisite which was euery day encreased in thee Obtaine for me by these so rare priuiledges and prerogatiues that I may haue knowledge both of diuine and humaine thinges so as I may neuer stray from the right path of faith and charitie 5. Soule the splendor of the glory of the Father and the Image of his goodnesse be my guide and conductor in the midst of the perils and temptations of the dangerous life of this world Dissipate the cloudes of my passions driue away the night of my ignorance making me euer and in all things to acknowledge his will to whoÌ„ thou art personally vnited 6. Ouer and aboue the grace of vnion hipostaticall and blessed thou baâ—st also the grace of Capitall vnion as being the head of men and Angels Make me then to draw aboundantly out of this plentifull well and to pertake to the greater glory of thy Father of those influences which flow vpon thy misticall body the Church militant and Triumphant 7. Who is able to expresse the thanksgiuing when of nothing and out of that bottomlesse depth of not being any thing common to all creatures thou perceiuedst thy selfe to bee transported to a personall vnion with God who is able to recount that holocaust and sacrifice that thou madest of thy selfe for the accomplishing of that excellent worke of our redemption with what excesse of Charitie diddest thou consecrate thy selfe to God the Father with what an eye of compassion didst thou behold humaine Nature of which thou wast a noble sprig and branch In remembrance of all those thy internall eminent actions for the loue of thy Hypostasie by the merites of thy abode in this world and by all whatsoeuer appertaineth to thy incarnation I beseech thee to thanke him for me to whome thou art vnited to giue and sacrifice me to his glory to present vnto him my actions vowes intentions and thoughts to make my miserable abode in this world pleasing vnto him to make vnto him an holocaust of my life and a sacrifice of my death 8. Thou wast no sooner vnited to that body framed in the womb of the Virgin drawne and taken out of the most pure substance of thy virgin Moâ—â—er but that thou wast receiued and supported by the word O so 〈…〉 Queene of men Princesse of Angels obtaine for me by this grace the grace that I may be deliuered from the cogitation of the body and infection of the flesh from which thou wast preserued being by an extraordinary manner without Adam ioyned to the flesh which descended from Adam 9. Ignorance frailtie and malice are the furniture of this corrupt Masse from which wee are drown'd and of that first fault from which thou wast the deliuerer and the deliuered I beseech thee to guard me from the falls to which I am subiect by my naturall corruption and that by the merits of thy incomparable integritie puritie and holinesse 10. Thy heart was alwayes attentiue to God of whome thou neuer didst loose the sight obtain that I may liue in his presence in him euer and euer before him 11. In vertue of the deiformitie of thy soule my sweete Iesus I begg of thee the guift of conformitie and vniformitie with thee 12. By reason of thy Hypostaticall vnion thy actions were of infinite merit and the onely act of thy incarnation sufficient to redeeme a thousand worlds What shall I not then obtaine of God thy Father if thou shalt please once to present vnto him that which thou hast offered and shed for mee which is thy precious bloud and thy
beginneth to growe longer and the Sunne of our soules to send foorth more hot beames then ordinarie of his grace the hearbes of good thoughts begin to come on plants of good desires to bud forth the garden of our spirit to flourish throghout with diuer◠flowers promising to vs an happy haruest of good holy works O starres of happy and fauourable aspect worke all these wonders vpon the dry and barraine ground of my soule to the end that by worke and worde I may glorifie him whome yee haue confessed and professed with danger of your liues 2. Men with loynes girded handes with burning Lampes great numbers of you haue excelled in confessing the Faith ther 's haue beene singuler for Learning others admirable for austeritie of life others for heroicall workes appertaining to Christian perfection Obtaine then by your prayers in remembrance and acknowledgement of these graces that I hold fidelitie make knowne both to Heauen and earth that which I am to my God in euery occasion of temptation Seeing that to confesse by deede is nothing else but to leade a life worthy the name of a Christian 3. Our sweet Redeemer being Wisdome it selfe Iustice it selfe Truth it selfe Holinesse it selfe is it not so then that men by their sottishnes and stupiditie following the trace of their appetites like beastes without reason deny his wisdome following iniquitie deny his Iustice giuing themselues to lying deny his Truth and wallowing in the mire of their filthy pleasures renounce his holinesse Permit not O yee gouernours of our soules that I become one of those vngratefull wretches infringers and forsakers of their Faith but that vpon all occasions I may be that which I am to God most humble most obedient and most faithfull as well in effect as in affection as well in execution as in obligation though I should thereby loose my life as many millions of times as I speake or breath Title 23. To the holy Anchorits Hermits and Religious 1. MOuntaines of eminent perfection Sina vpon which God familiarlie speaketh to men Thabor where the Worde incarnate manifested his glory most noble portion only chosen of the heritage of Iesus Christ you are they to whom according to the sayings of the Prophet the waters are open in the desart and the brookes in the wildernesse You are they which haue transplanted the Cedar the white Thorne the Mirrhe the Oliue in the wildernesse You are they who set a fier with a burning desire of heauenly thinges haue with a noble courage frankly and freely renounced the goods and pleasures of this world You are they who being retired into the desarts of secret solitarinesse and straight Monastaries haue giuen your selues to a most austere life and most earnest study of solid vertues You are they who inuironed with bodyes haue surmounted the condition of bodyes and amongst the beasts haue lead the life of Angels You are they who haue made the places before hideous and full of horror by your presence the sanctuarie of God and tabernacle of the holy Ghost O when shall I following your example crucifie in my flesh all vices concupiscences and pleasures when shall I with you and after you embrace an heauenly conuersation in this terrene habitation when shall I haue the earth vnder my affections as I haue it vnder my feete Bring to passe by your merits and prayers O most happy soules tryed a thousand and a thousand times bring to passe I say by all possible meanes and whatsoeuer power you haue in that aeternall Citty especially you yee holy founders reformers and obseruers of regular discipline which haue consecrated by obedience your soules by pouertie your goods and by the vow of Chastitie your bodyes Obtaine for me that in those three thinges I may honour the author of all thinges that I may renounce my owne selfe dye to my owne will and liue to the will of God 2. We that liue in the world are esteemed Saints when wee doe or suffer the thousand part of that you haue done and suffered O what difference will there be betweene you and vs vpon the day when wee shall come to receiue our hyer But yet we wish that you may encrease to thousands and millions for you are our brethren and it is great consolation to vs and a great remedie of our miseries that our cōmon God and Father is honoured in you seeing hee is so little honoured in vs and that we haue elder bretheren which make amends for our faultes Bring to passe also that as wee reioyce that you are what you are and make you sad by being what we our selues are our ioy from henceforth may bee accomplished and alike in all we becomming by your prayers that which you haue beene and by your charitable mediation that which you desire Title 24. To Saint Anthony 1. CHampion of God ouercommer of Deuils fearefull to Hell the honour and wonder of the desart I addresse particularly to thee my sighes and to thee I lift vp the voyce of my desires knowing how much thou hast done for God and how much thou art able to doe with God Bee thou then pleased to obtaine for mee three graces of him who bestowed them vpon thee with many moe the one is the guift of Prayer and an inward conuersation with God the other a perfect victorie of my temptations and the third an inflamed Loue of him which is the lone of Heauen and earth IESVS the Son of God Thou hast so excelled in the first that during the time thou wert before God in prayer yeares were to thee but monthes monthes but weekes weeks but dayes dayes but howers and howers but minutes The Sunne going downe left thee praying and rising againe hee found thee praying and whilst he cast forth his beames somtimes vpon thy backe and sometimes vpon thy face the holy Ghost was working interiourly and effected wonderfull thinges in the most fruitfull soyle of thy soule As for temptations Hell trembled at thee and the Deuill remained as vanquished and taken captiue in thy presence For thou wentst not out of the skirmish as we doe who ordinarily are either beaten or discouraged Thy victories were intire thy lawrell boughes answerable to the strong and couragious resistance thou madest to the enemies of God Wherfore not being able to lay any holde vpon thy soule they exercised their rage vpon thy body bellowing like Bulles roaring like Lyons hissing like Serpents And when they had all done they could not take the forte of thy interiour resolution nor so much as shake the Rocke of thy inexpugnable will As for the loue of God thou said'st often to thy Disciples that the Deuils are affeard of humilitie temporance taming of the body prayer and the exercise of other vertues But aboue all the rest they feare most an inflamed charitie towards the Sonne of God What shall hinder mee then henceforth from shining in those three graces shall the let or hinderance bee on thy part or on mine
and with all the force of my soule that for the loue of your heauenly Spouse I liue no more but to him I take no life but from him I bring forth no fruite but his And that finally I may come to die for him 14. O good Iesus O meeke Lambe O Chast Spouse and rich Crowne of Virgin-soules let mee obtaine this mercy by the loue thou hast borne to them who haue loued none but thee that I be permitted here in this world to loue thee with my heart and to serue thee with other fidelitie then hitherto I haue done 15. Purifie the filth of my conscience restore to my soule her first puritie so as if I cannot follow thee so neere as thy more beloued in the street of the heauenly Ierusalem and in the most pure and cleane pathes paued all with fâ—â—e golde of which thy Apostle Disciple and Virgin Euangelist maketh mention yet at least I may carry in my hand the Lampe of good workes and one day bee admitted to thy marriage banquet and there be placed if not at the higher end of the holy table yet among those who sit at the lower end thereof Title 26. A Communication bad with God vpon the Life Death and Passion of our Sauiour 1. PErmit mee my GOD Father and Sauiour of my soule that prostrate before the Throne of thy Maiesty I put thee in mind and represent vnto thee the wonders which thou hast wrought for my loue and as much for all others as for me and no lesse for mee then for all I will speake vnto you in the simplicitie of my heart taking my assurance from your mercyes and placing my confidence altogether in immeÌ„sitie of your goodnesse without hauing any regard at this time to my owne exceeding great vnworthines which otherwaies would shut vp my mouth and not permit me to appeare before the eyes of your Maiesty 2. I was as thou truely callest me thy hartlesse Doue thy lost Sunamite thy strayed sheep when to make demonstration of the excesse of thy beneuolence thou resoluedst to make thy selfe like to mee to th' end that I might become like to thee Out of this motion thou descended'st from Heauen to Earth that so thou might'st lift mee vp from Earth to Heauen thou humbledst thy selfe to extoll me thou becommest passible to make mee impassible mortall that I might bee made immortall and thou becam'st Man after a sorte to deifie mee and make me God 3. Thou diddest take I say my humaine substance to communicate vnto me thy diuine thou tookest for spouse my humanitie to giue me for a dowrie thy diuinitie as if thou hadst saide O thou extaticall louer of my saluation when thou shalt see me conceaued be bolde to say that it is for no other end but to make thee conceiue in thy soule the spirit of God my Father wheÌ„ thou shalt see mee carried in the wombe of my Mother that it is to make thee to bee transported with an holy desire wheÌ„ borne and brought into the world by a Virgin that it is to make thee bring foorth by workes the fruites worthy of aeternall life 4. I will take my repose in the wombe of my holy Mother that thou maist come one day to take thy repose in my armes I will be content to bee shut vp in that darke prison to bring thee out of darknes into light I will make my selfe little to make thee great feeble and weake to make thee strong poore to make thee rich an imperfect childe to make thee a perfect man I will be naked to cloth thee trembling in thy Maunger for colde that thou maist bee warme tyed vp in swadling-bands to set thee as libertie laide vpon the hay and straw to place thee aboue the heanens between the Oxe and the Asse to procure thee the company of the Angels in a â—table and amidst the dung to make thee know that I will not disdaine to be borne amidst the filth of thy imperfections so as they be displeasing vnto thee 5. Thou wouldest that the Shepheards of Idumaea and the Kinges of the East should take notice of thee to shew that thou didst thinke long when thou wert new borne to make a present to God the Father of the first fruites both of Iew and Gentile Thou wast circumcised the Eight day to giue mee betimes the earnest penny of my redemption and to bestow vpon me the first fruites of thy labour some life 6. Thou wast carryed vpon the fourteenth day to the Temple thy holy Mother was there purif 〈…〉 and thou thy selfe presented to God thy Father and after Redeemed for fiue peeces of Coyne To what other end was all this but by the mediation of thy worthy Mother to present me to thy heauenly Father to obtaine for me internall purification and by the meanes of thy fiue wounds the onely price of my redemption to redeeme me from my vaine conuersation 7. The flight into Aegypt was to incourage me not to flie but to stand before the face of God whom I had prouoked to wrath and when thou wert found in the Temple it was to teach me that thou wilt be found in the midst of my heart and erect there a diuine Academie If so bee I make it a holy Temple dedicated to thy Maiestie and not a prophane house open to all vanitie which it shall not be hard for me to doe after the three dayes of contrition confession and satisfaction by meanes whereof thou hast promised to holde me in the ranke and qualitie of a Mother a Brother and a Sister 8. Thou wast subiect to Ioseph as a tutor and to his spouse thy Mother to put me vnder the tuition and protection of God thy Father Thou wast obedient to them to make easie to me the law of obedience and which is admirable thou wert vnknowne in the world for the space of 18. yeares to teach me humility and to make me knowne in ages to come with titles of honour due to diuine adoption 9. When thou wast pleased to manifest thy selfe vnto the world was it for any other end but to giue me knowledge of my felicitie and of the meanes by which I might attaine vnto it And when thou diddest change water into wine at the Marriage of Cana was it not to instruct me that thou wouldst change the water of my imperfections into the wine of perfection flowing from the precious vine of thy grace especially being ayded herein by the intercession of thy most honorable Mother And further to instruct me that it should not be hard or difficult for thee to change the materiall wine into thine owne bloud whensoeuer thou sholdst be pleased to make thy selfe as admirable and amiable in the nouriture of my soule as thou art in the refection and conseruation of my body 10. Didst thou not leaue vnto me a rare example of humilitie the strong foundation of the stately building of all vertues at the Riuer of Iordan when after the manner of
penetents which at the riuer receiued the baptisme of pennance thou wast content to be baptized of thy baptist and together with this abasing of thy selfe by touching the water with thy precious flesh giuing regeneratiue vertue to the waters which afterwards haue serued for a bath to wash away and cleanse originall sinne 11. Thou wast called an immaculate Lambe and why so if not because thou wast to be a victime for our sinne a pacifiing host in thasksgiuing for benefits a true holocaust in testimonie of loue 12. Thou enduredst hunger to feede and fill me thirst to quench my thirstie appetites colde and heate to remedie my passions 13. Thou diddest perseuer in prayer that I might learne to surmount the difficulties and tediousnesse which I finde in that exercise 14. Thou wert tempted permitting the Common enemie to assault thee was it not to driue him away from me and to giue me force to resist and ouercome him 15. The Angels come to serue thee after the victorie to assure me of the like and as it were to promise me that thou wouldst in person serue them which shall be victorious ouer the enemies of thy glory 16. Thou diddest call vnto thee Apostles mad'st choise of Disciples and it was to leaue me so many Masters and Teachers Thou reproouedst them for â—heir faults for the correction of mine Thou didst beare with them in their infirmities to make me knowe how paciently thou wouldst beare with mine 17. Thou didst restore to the lame their limbes to the blinde their sight hearing to the deafe speech to the dumb Thou didst Catechise the ignorant cure the Paralitiques raise the dead and all this to illuminate the eyes of my vnderstanding to open the eare of my hart to rectifie the gate of my affections to cureithe Palsey of my soule to vnloose my tongue that it might vtter thy prayses to set me at libertie from death of sinne to draw me out of the graue of my iniquitie to make me borne a newe by grace drawne out from vnder the marble of my naughtie habites and customes 18. Thou wert solde by one of thy Apostles to th' end that I might not bee solde to mine enemies thou wast forsaken of thy Disciples neuer to forsake abandon me thou wast seased with feare going to thy so ofteÌ„ desired temporall death to giue mee assurance and courage against the feares and frightes of aeternall death 19. Thou wast tyed that I might be vntyed contemptuously treated to make me respected cloathed with an ignominious garment of purple that I might be vested with the robe of honor thou carriedst a reede in thy hand to put in my hand the Sâ—epter of heauen and earth vpon thy head a crowne of Thorneâ— that I might come to weare a crowne of Glory Thou wert conuented before prophane Tribunalls that I might be iustified at the Tribunall of my Iudge It was saide of thee in mockerie Beholde the man thereby to recouer for me the most noble title of the childe of God which I had lost 20. Thou wast charged with the heauy burthen of the Crosse and wherefore If not to discharge me of the insupportable burthen of my iniquities 21. Why wert thou lead vp to the Mount Caluarie but to lift me vp to the mount of heauenly faelicitie why nayled in the midst between two theeues but to place me amidst the Angels why were thy armes stretched out vpon the Crosse but onely with tender loue and affection to embrace me 22. Mee thinke I heare thee say O the God of loue that if in dying thou bowe downe thy head it is to giue me the kisse of peace If one open thy side with a Speare it is that I may haue a place whether to retjre my selfe and to make me know that the affection of thy heart with which thou louest me surpasseth the passion of thy body in which thou dyedst for mee To conclude if thou dyedst it is to giue me life Title 27. A Prayer agreeing with the former CoÌ„munication and Conference had with God 1. O My God my Sauiour bestow vpon mee then that grace that I may conceiue thee by affection carry thee in the wombe of my soule by desire be deliuered of thee by such workes as are pleasing to thy diuine Maiestie to this end I implore the brests of thy mercy by the brests of thy holy Mother with thou didst sucke 2. Disdaine not the hay and straw of my vanitie the Maunger of my naughtie habites the filth of my indeuotions the brute beasts of my irascible and concupissible affections 3. I offer vp with the Shepheards the little I am in body and soule with the three Kings the Golde the Mirrhe Frankensence of my memorie of my vnderstanding and of my will 4. Circumcise and cut away all whatsoeuer is in me that is displeasing vnto thee and by the merite of thy first paine plucke vp by the rootes in mee the first young springings of all euill pleasures 5. Present me in the temple of grace to God thy Father and with thy fiue woundes as with the fiue peeces of money redeeme me from the seruitude of sinne 6. By the merit of thy flight into Aegypt obtaine for mee that I may flie and auoyde all occasions of sinne and that as at thy entrie into Egypt all the oracles of Idolatrie were silent so there may be in me a beginning laide of neuer sinning 7. Speake in mee my God make me heare thy voyce and for thy loue obedient to my superiour 8. What care I for beeing knowne in the world seeing thou wert so long vnknowne and mistaken I aske of thee so much honour or dishonour as is necessary for me for thy glory and no more 9. I present vnto thee not onely the reasonable actions of my life but also those which appertaine vnto sence and drinking eating sleeping and such others which I desire thee to looke vpon as vnited with those of my redeemer thy Son Graunt that with him I may ouercome my temptations that I may be washed in the Iordain of thy graces and that it may be saide of me This is the beloued seruant of God in whom he taketh great pleasure 10. I languish with desire to follow thee not as that miserable wretch that betrayed thee and solde thee to the Iewes but as thy faithfull Apostles who haue signed with their bloud and sealed with their death the faith fidelitie they had promised thee 11. Thou wilt change the dirtie and stinking water of my imperfections into the most precious wine of thy loue wheÌ„ by thy grace I shall no more loose the sight of thee and that neere vnto thee I shall make three tabernacles of my vnderstanding memorie and will in which thou shalt dwell and make thy abode with contentment 12. The filth of my imperfections hindreth me from presenting my selfe as I ought to thy holy Table wash then the feete of my affection that from hence-foorth it touch not the earth
the adorned streets through which thou diddest passe with triumph as much vpon the mount Caluarie as vpoÌ„ the mount Thabor as much dying as liuing as much buried as risen again as much in Lymbus as in Heauen Onely grant that I may be thine and that I neuer depart froÌ„ thee whether I be in consolation or desolation poore or rich in plentie or in want all shall be one to me so I may be wholly and only thine Title 54. When we feele our selues drie at Prayer I wil continue with perseuerance before thee not giue ouer O my God I will honour thee with my body seeing I cannot doe it with my soule It is good foe me that thou hast humbled me Now I begin to knowe and feele what I I am Now I touch with my hands my owne misery well perceiue that I am able to do nothing with out thee This is as it were a returning to the nothing from which I took my origen out of which I was drawn by thy omnipotency Blessing praise thankes be to thee my God for euer I merrit not so much as once to enter into thy thought or that thou shoudst once think of me And should be to happy it that I might serue thee but in the condition of a stone or thing without sense and life Receiue the homage don by my miserabie condition to thy blessed selfe who art independant of any hast all contentment in thy self Title 55. When one is despised O My God I haue lost nothing so long as I loose not thee haue I any thing that appertaineth vnto me whether it be goods honours bodie or soule Can any thing fall out in the worlde without thy prouidence Is any thing done sinne only excepted which is not done by thy will If then thou be pleased that I be dispised why should any opposition be made who is he so insolent so bolde a Theife that dare entermeddle with things appertaining to thee contrary to thy will maist not thou doe with that which is thine according to thy pleasure when I am honoured should I reioyce there at for my selfe Is it a thing appertayning to me or to thee It is inough for me O great God that I be thine whether I be an Ant or an Elephant an Egle or a Gnat dirt or golde Title 56. Eleuations of spirit which may be done vpon euery occasion 1. MY God my all IESVS the delight of Heauen earth when shall I be all thine as thou art wholy mine 2. Father of mercy make me such an one as thy Sonne hath deserued and thy holy spirit desireth I should be 3. God of my life when shall I die to my selfe that I may liue to thee 4. Take me my God whether I wil or no seeing I am not so wise as to giue my selfe vnto thee as to haue the will to giue my selfe vnto thee 5. If it should fall out my beloued that I should desire any thing but thee which I desired not for thee I renounce it euen froÌ„ now as if it were then and protest that I haue nothing to loose or gaine besides thee 6. O God God of my soule permit me not to bee at all or procure by thy grace that I may be to serue thee as I am and haue my being from thee 7. I will haue â—o eye but to look vpon thee no eare but to heare thee no tongue but to speake of thee no heart but to think vpon thee no hands but to worke for thee no feet but to walke seek after thee no body but for to offer vp vnto thee no life but to make a sacrifice therof to thy honour and glory 8. God which art Loue giue me Charitie 9. God which wert made Man graunt me Humilitie 10. God which art a pure Spirit bestow vpon me Puritie 11. Omnipotent power strenghthen my weaknesse 12. Eternall wisdome illuminate my darknesse 13. Incomparable mercy pardon my haughtinesse 14 Incomparable beautie to late I haue loued thee 15. Infinite goodnes too late haue I knowne thee 16. Hee that loueth not thee what doth he loue 17 He that admireth not thee what doth he admire I will loue my self not because I am mine but because I am thine I will haue care of my selfe not for any oâ—her reason but because thou so willest and commaundest I esteeme my selfe more happy in thy happines thâ—n I count my selfe wretched for my owne miserie And the contentment I take that thou art that which thou art farre exceedeth the discontentment I feele by being that which I am Be thou then my God for euer that which thou art make me other then I am That is wheras I am my selfe miserable I shall be in thee blessed and happy To thee in thee by thee for thee O my God be all things Amen